Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Marinara
My mother recently gave me a massive amount of tomatoes from her garden. Thank you Mom!!! Since it was cold & rainy outside yesterday, I decided to roast some of the tomatoes to make a roasted tomato and bell pepper marinara. This marinara was sweet from the roasted veggies and had a nice tang from the vinegar. It was a tasty and flavorful sauce and we all loved it. I froze the leftover marinara for later use.
How to Make Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Marinara
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees; coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Halve the tomatoes, cut the onions and break up the head of garlic (KEEP SKINS ON SO THEY DON’T BURN). Spread the tomatoes, onions, and garlic all over the lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top, then sprinkle with crushed fennel seeds, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, as well as sea salt and freshly cracked pepper; to taste; toss to coat.
Place in the oven and roast for 60 minutes; or until vegetables are really soft and the tomatoes are still juicy. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Once they have cooled, carefully peel the skin off the cloves of garlic. Spoon the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and juices into a small Dutch oven along with the tomato sauce then simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables until smooth, making sure there are no chunks. Add the vinegar then taste. Add more sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add the fresh basil then mix until well combined. Side Note: If you desire a sweeter sauce, add a pinch of sugar. If you want a thinner sauce, add a little chicken or vegetable broth, to taste.
Cook desired pasta in a large pot of salted water, per instructions. Drain.
Serve sauce tossed with your pasta then top with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan. Enjoy.
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce:
- 13-14 miscellaneous tomatoes halved
- 1 head of garlic about 10 cloves, DO NOT REMOVE SKINS
- 3 baby red bell peppers in large slices
- ½ sweet yellow onion cut into large chunks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes more if you want a spicy sauce
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- Sugar to taste, if needed
- 8 oz angel hair pasta or your preferred pasta, prepared per instructions
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees; coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Halve the tomatoes, cut the onions and break up the head of garlic (KEEP SKINS ON SO THEY DON’T BURN). Spread the tomatoes, onions, and garlic all over the lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top, then sprinkle with crushed fennel seeds, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, as well as sea salt and freshly cracked pepper; to taste; toss to coat.
- Place in the oven and roast for 60 minutes; or until vegetables are really soft and the tomatoes are still juicy. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Once they have cooled, carefully peel the skin off the cloves of garlic.
- Spoon the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and juices into a small Dutch oven along with the tomato sauce then simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables until smooth, making sure there are no chunks.
- Add the vinegar then taste. Add more sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add the fresh basil then mix until well combined. Side Note: If you desire a sweeter sauce, add a pinch of sugar. If you want a thinner sauce, add a little chicken or vegetable broth, to taste.
- Cook desired pasta in a large pot of salted water, per instructions. Drain.
- Serve sauce tossed with your pasta then top with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan. Enjoy.
What luscious sauce—–pasta was not what I planned to eat for dinner. But now I am having a major craving. You presented very nicely too. Made it even more appetizing.
Lucky you having abundance of homegrown tomatoes! The sauce must be very yum!
Mmmmm that sounds good and I am sure roasting them first must improve the flavour. Have a good day Diane
This looks delicious, Pam!
I really like the idea of roasting the ingredients to make the sauce with – I can almost taste it from here.
What a great haul of tomatoes! And I love roasting tomatoes — such great flavor, don’t you think? Wonderful dish — thanks.
A few things: I did not realize garlic should be roasted with the skins on, so I appreciate all these tips. I LOVE all the spices/flavors you used in this sauce; so many times sauces are too bland. And, your family is very lucky. I hope (I imagine they do) they thank you often for the wonderful meals and care you provide. I think it’s really cool that you make special after-school snacks for your kids sometimes, and they will always remember that later.
I’ve never made marinara except with canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste, which was a shocking revelation to my second daughter’s best friend, whose grandparents all came from Italy about 50 years ago. Your sauce looks really good, Pam, and, of course, I am still jealous of your tomato bounty!
How lovely tomatoes Pam!
Look beautiful!
Yesterday I thought they might show up as tomato sauce. So good with fresh tomatoes.
Lucky girl! I love that you roasted both tomatoes and bell peppers for this sauce. So much great flavor!
Wow natural tomatoes sauce for pasta. I wish I have my own grown tomatoes like your mother, tomatoes are really healthy. It can provide body with mineral chromium, which helps diabetics to keep their blood sugar level under control. Also it is best used for skin care as it has high amounts of lycopene. Anyway, I would love to do this marinara, thanks for sharing =)